eu-com-schengen-coop

3.2 Assessment of the need to harmonise the lists of supporting documents
The LSC China group has sent two papers to the Visa Committee in Brussels concerning revision of
the harmonised lists. A WG group initially started work on revisions in the autumn of 2013. In
February 2014, a proposal was sent to the Visa Committee that, among other aspects, focused on
waiving hotel and flight reservations. This proposal was questioned by the Visa Committee in
March 2014 and further information from Schengen states in Beijing was requested. (A clarification
was sent from LSC China on this issue to the Visa Committee in May 2014.) Among Schengen
states here, there is great support for waiving flight and hotel information.
3.3 Exchange of information
Visa statistics
EUD has not been able to obtain complete and regular reports concerning Schengen visa statistics
during the reporting period. The LSC has discussed the issue and there is agreement on providing
better and more uniform reporting of statistics, not least through ensuring that all Schengen states
use the same template. As visa statistics normally are useful for identifying local trends and allows
Schengen states to compare developments amongst themselves, the LSC group agrees that this is
important work. For this reporting period, statistics available to the EUD indicate falling numbers of
issued Schengen visas – including ADS visas 29 – which is in sharp contrast to the experience of
Schengen states here. (See Introduction.) As a result, the EUD cannot provide a reliable annual
statistical overview for this reporting period.
Cases of fraud
Over the last few years, a system of cooperation and information exchange concerning cases of
fraud has been established between Schengen states in Beijing, allowing for swift action on issues
such as visa annulments, migration alerts, ADS or other visa related issues. Regular meetings in the
so called Anti Fraud Group, between likeminded states in Beijing, provide additional and useful
information for many Schengen states. The EUD has not been participating in these meetings
during the reporting period, due to strained resources.
Travel Medical Insurance (TMI)
A working group on TMI was formed in Beijing in September 2011, lay dormant for some time and
is since the summer 2013 active again. With the assistance of the EUD, a meeting was arranged
between the WG on TMI and China Insurance Association (CIA) in April 2014. The messages put
forth were well received by the Chinese side and progress is expected. The TMI WG was requested
by the CIA to gather additional information to better explain the situation when Chinese citizens
apply for Schengen visas.
3.4 Any other initiative taken in LSC
VIS roll out of biometrics in China
The LSC China group is greatly concerned about the roll out of biometrics in China that is due to
take place sometime in 2015. Although there is widespread understanding for the fact that VIS is a
worldwide scheme and that there can be no exception for China, most Schengen states here do not
feel that they currently have the capacity and resources needed to deal with the consequences of an
introduction of biometrics. They also fear a great fall in valuable tourism to Europe. A WG on the
effects of VIS roll out in China put together a report that was sent to Brussels together with a letter
from HOD Ederer in the end of December 2013, highlighting the problems that the LSC group
could see. Since then, the issue has been discussed regularly in the LSC, DHOMs and HOMs
29 Excluding visas issued by Norway, who has signed a separate MoU with China.
12893/14 PR/lm 60
DG D 1 A
EN